North Korea warns of “merciless strikes” if US aircraft carrier violates its sovereignty

by: Kim Gamel | .

Stars and Stripes | .

published: March 14, 2017

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea warned of “merciless ultra-precision strikes” over U.S.-South Korean war games as a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier joined the drills.

The allies are conducting annual military exercises, which they insist are defensive in nature. But the drills are a major point of contention with Pyongyang, which alleges they’re a rehearsal for an invasion.

North Korea’s state-run news agency said the deployment of the USS Carl Vinson in the waters off the divided peninsula is part of a “reckless scheme” for pre-emptive strikes against it.

The Korean Central News Agency warned that “nuclear-powered carriers and all other strategic assets of the U.S. imperialists are in sight” of its army.

“If they infringe on [North Korea’s] sovereignty and dignity even a bit, its army will launch merciless ultra-precision strikes from ground, air, sea and underwater,” it said, adding “the war maniacs had better stop acting rashly.”

The Nimitz-class Carl Vinson and about 5,500 crew members are on a patrol as part of the Foal Eagle exercises that began on March 1. The aircraft carrier and the guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E Meyer are due to visit the southern port of Busan on Wednesday.